HuronValley Penguins
Team Handbook

2012-13

Table of Contents

1.Welcome Letter

2.Coaching Staff

3.Practice Schedule

4.Cost of HuronValley Penguins Swim Club

5.Dual Meets, Invitationals, Districts, Leagues, States

6.Meet Schedule

7.Qualifying Time Standards

8.How Can Parents Help?

9.How to Stay Informed…

10.Swimming Basics 101

11.Suit Ordering Information

Welcome Swim Team Families:

This handbook contains important information for both parents and swimmers of the Huron Valley Penguins Swim Club. We hope you will find this information helpful to you during the session.

We are very excited you have chosen to participate on the Huron Valley Penguins swim team. This swim club is owned and operated by the Huron Valley Schools. All coaches are employees of the Huron Valley Schools. All coaches are certified coaches of USA Swimming. And the Huron Valley Penguins is a USA Swimming registered team and we participate in the United Swim League.

The mission of the HuronValley Penguins Swim Club is motivating swimmers to pursue goals in the sport of swimming.The purpose of the HuronValley Penguins Swim club is to teach young athletes to pursue and attain personal goals while learning the sport of competitive swimming.It is the job of the COACHES to teach quality stroke instruction, sportsmanship, teamwork, a strong work ethic, and the love of competition. In this we hope each child will grow in his or her own personal achievements.

Remember, age-group swimming is about developing young swimmers and keeping them motivated to continue pursuing the sport of swimming. We hope you will help us encourage your swimmer to feel good about their personal accomplishments.

Thank you.

Go Penguins!

HuronValley Penguins Swim Club

Coaching Staff and HuronValley Pools & Fitness

HuronValley Penguins
Coaching Staff

Janette Heaton-Head Coach

cell (248)790-5607

Chris Follick

Alex Bingham

Irene Pawley-Kennedy

John Allen

Mark Darga

Emily Williams

Huron Valley Penguins
September-March Practice Schedule

–Macaroni Penguins(5-8yrs old)

•Monday-Friday 5:30-6:30pm

–Adelie Penguins (9 & 10yr old)

•Monday – Friday 5:30-6:30pm

–Rockhopper Penguins (11-12 yr old)

•Monday-Thrusday 5:30-7:00pm,Friday 5:30-7:30pm Saturday 11am-1pm

Jr. Royal Penguins(10-12yr old)

  • Thursday 6:30-8:30pm, Friday 5:30-7:30pm Saturday 11am-1pm

–Royal Penguins (13 &Over)

•Monday-Thursday 6:30-8:30pm, Friday 5:30-7:30pm Saturday 11am-1pm

30min Dryland practice TBA for Jr. Royal & Royal Groups

Lakeland Site Practices-Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Milford Site Practices-Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

**Practice sites are sometimes changed due to varsity meets. Please check practice calendars for complete practice schedule.

HuronValley Penguins
Registration Fees

•Short Course Season

September -March

•Long Course Session

April-August

• Annual Fee-IncludesTeam T-shirt, Team Cap, USA Dues 2013

per swimmer. Annual fee is renewed every September for the upcoming year. Summer swimmers will be registered with a 90day seasonal membership.

**Parents must submit an email notice to cancel 15 days prior to the last day of the month, to stop automatic monthly billing. Billing is processed on the 1st of each month for the next month’s fees. Email notices can be sent to Coach Janette Heaton.

Register online at the Penguins website

–Macaroni Penguins (5-8)

–Adelie Penguins (9-10)

–Rockhopper Penguins (11-12)

-Jr. Royal Penguins(advanced 12 & U group)

–Royal Penguins (13-18)

Swimmers may be moved up a group by completing the next group requirements.

Group Requirements

Macaroni Group-Swimmers must be 5years of age or older. Swimmers must be able to swim 25yds without stopping and using rhythmic breathing.

To be moved to the Adelie Group 8 & Under swimmers must be able to complete the following requirements.

Adelie Group Requirements

-Dive from the starting blocks.

-Swim freestyle 200yds with flip-turns.

-Swim backstroke with horizontal body position, alternating arm pull, finish on back and turn legally.

-Be able to swim 25yds fly and breaststroke with legal stroke and finish.

Adelie Group-Swimmers must be at least 9 years old or meet the group requirements.

To be moved to the Rockhopper Group 10 & under swimmers must be able to complete the following requirements.

Rockhopper Group Requirments

-Swim 10 X 50yds on :55 using flip-turns

-Be able to swim 200IM legally, using proper IM and stroke turns.

Rockhopper Group-Swimmers must be 11 years old or meet the group requirements.

To be moved to the JuniorRoyal Group 12 & under swimmers must be able to complete the following requirements.

Royal Junior Group Requirements

-Swim 10 X 100 1:40 Freestyle using flip-turns and streamlined push-offs.

-Be able to swim 400IM legally using proper IM and stroke turns.

Royal Group-Swimmers must be 13 years old &/or meet the group requirements.

Junior Royal Group-Swimmers 13 years & older or swimmers able to meet Jr. Royal group requirements. To be moved to the Royal Senior Group swimmers must meet the practice requirements.

Royal Senior Group Requirments

-Swim all strokes legally.

-Swim 10 X 100 1:30 Freestyle

-Swim the required practice schedule. Swim 5-6 practices each week for the whole 2hrs, attend dryland practices.

Swim Meets

United Swim League Meets-Dual Meets(2 teams, all events take place in one session)

All Penguin swimmers are expected to participate.

To signup to swim in a USL swim meet swimmers or parents/guardians go to the Penguins website and login, click on Events heading. select Yes, I can attend or No, unable to attend. Coaches will choose the events for the swimmers. Swimmers will find out what events they are in either at practice the day before the meet or at the meet. If you sign up for a meet and are unable to participate, please call or text coach Janette Heaton at (248)790-5607. It is very difficult to make the dual meet line ups please understand that there are many swimmers and coaches are making decisions for the best team effort. Be a Team Player.

USA Swimming Meets-Invitational Meets(many teams, event takes place in 4-5 sessions, broken up by age groups)

Swimmers MUST participate in one invitational each month. To ensure all team members meet this requirement, Swimmers will be billed for one meet (minimum of 4 events) each month.There will be at least two opportunities to compete each month.

During the Long Course season new 8 & under swimmers may not be ready to compete in the Long Course events. Any 8 & under swimmer who has participated during the previous Short Course season is ready to participate in Long Course meets. To swim a USA Swimming meet go to the Penguins website and click on EVENTS heading. Select Yes, swimmer can attend, Type in the notes section which sessions they can attend. Swimmers/Parents may select events or leave blank and coaches will choose. After the Team Entry is submitted to the meet host, by coach Janette NO REFUNDS can be made. Entry fees will be billed to the swimmers account.Please submit entries on time, late entries will not be accepted. The meet information is available to download from the team websiteby clicking on the meets heading in the EVENTS section of the website. The meet information is a detailed document explaining where and when the meet will take place, events each day, warm-up times and fees. Please ask questions to coaches before or after practice NOT DURING PRACTICE. During practice ask other swim parents ie. Board Members questions you may have.

Parent Booster Positions

President-Set meeting dates, agenda and run meetings according to Robert Rules.

Secretary-Take meeting notes and publish on team website.

Treasurer-Keep track of fundraising and expense and publish a mothly report on team website

Awards Coordinator-Keep an up-to-date inventory of all awards. Let head coach know when new awards need to be ordered. At the swim meets help volunteers put labels on the ribbons and handout ribbons to the swimmers.

Concessions Task Force-Keep an up-to-date inventory of concessions supplies. Purchase (with team funds) items needed for the concessions stand at home swim meets. Ask parents for donations to the concession stand.

Swim Meet Director-Helps organize home swim meets with the coaching staff, Penguin Parents and facility staff.

Social Events Coordinator-Helps coaching staff put on social events outside the pool for swimmers and parents to get to know each other better. Examples-Halloween party, Thanksgiving party, Christmas party, end of session banquets.

Volunteer Coordinator -Volunteer Coordinator will check-in volunteers on the day of the meet and make sure they know where to go, handout name tags and request additional volunteers if we are short.

Swim Meet Voluteer Positions

Announcer –Announces event number, heat number and the names of swimmers in each lane during the race and reads the results after they have been printed. Starts the meet with the announcements of teams, coaches, officials and the national anthem.

Head Timer-Head Timer is a back up for the lane timers. The Head timer also directs timers to the lanes and instructs timers on how to use the stop watches, and back up buttons.

Lane Timers-Lane timers are back-up timers for the Electronic Timing System. Timers need to make sure the correct swimmer is in their lane. Timers will have a card or Lane-timer Sheet to know who the swimmer is and when and where they are supposed to swim. Timers use a stopwatch and the backup button. Timers need to record the finish by stopwatch and depressing the backup button at the end of each race.

Runners-Runners collect the back-up Times from the timers, and the order of finish from the Finish Judge and take them to the office. Runners should keep the lane cards in lane order and keep each heat separate.

Finish Judges-Finish judges record the order of finish of each race and any Disqualifications.

Marshallers-Marshallers help the coaches get the swimmers into the correct lanes for their races. This may include handing out lane cards to the swimmers, and getting the swimmers behind their proper lane. Sometimes the Marchallers marshall both teams swimmers by seating the swimmers in chairs and parading the swimmers behind the lanes at the appropriate time.

Concessions- Concessions volunteers will need to collect Healthy food items to sell at the meet and prepare the items to be sold. Concession volunteers may ask the team for donations for the concession stand. And sell the food at the meet and clean up afterward. Concession volunteers may need to store unused items at their home. Concessions is a very important fundraiser for the team.

Awards-Awards person needs to inventory awards and let the coach know when to order more ribbons. Awards volunteers are needed at the meet to put award labels on the ribbons and sort the ribbons into the swimmers folders.

Admissions-Collect admissions and sell programs at the swim meet.

How Can Parents Help?

–Be supportive towards your swimmer and their coach.

–Sign up to help.

  • At swim meets:Timers, marshal’s, admissions, cleanup

Head a Task Force: Social events, Concessions, Fundraisers, Apparel, Awards, Swim Meet director.

  • Become a booster board member.

–Help with fundraisers.

•Swim Meet Concessions

•Swim A Thon

–Help your swimmer get to practice on time and prepared for practice with proper attire, water bottle and equipment.

–Encourage your swimmer to get proper rest and nutrition.

Adhere to the 10 Commandments for Swimming Parents

I. Do not impose thy ambitions on thy child.

II. Thou shall be supportive no matter what.

III. Thou shall not coach thy child.

IV. Thou shall only have positive things to say at a swimming meet.

V. Thou shall acknowledge thy child’s fears.

VI. Thou shall not criticize the officials.

VII. Honor thy child’s coach.

VIII. Thou shall be loyal and supportive of thy team.

IX. Thy child shall have goals besides winning.

X. Thou shalt not expect thy child to become an Olympian.

How to Stay Informed

Follow the practice calendar.

Sign up for SMS messaging. To receive text messages.

Check the Penguins Website

  • Meet sign up information
  • Swim Suit ordering information
  • News
  • Calendars

Check the Michigan Local Swimming Committee website

Check the USA Swimming website

  • Great parent information on nutrition, young athletes, swimming science.

Ask questions before or after practice. DO NOT ADDRESS QUESTIONS DURING PRACTICE. Address questions about procedures to parent boosters. Address questions about your swimmers practice sessions, performance, and swimming to the coaches.

Introduce yourself to the coaching staff.

Swimming Basics 101

•The Basics Skills: The five competitiveswimming strokesare freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and individual medley.

•Competition

•Each swim meet offers a variety of events and distances, depending on the age group and classification. Each swimmer will have a limitto the number of events he or she may swim each day, depending on the meet rules.

•In freestyle events, the competitor may swim any stroke. The stroke most commonly used is sometimes called the crawl, which is characterized by the alternatestroking of the arms over the water surfaceand an alternating (upanddown) flutter kick. On turns and finishes, some part of the swimmer must touch the wall. Most swimmers do a flip turn.

•Backstroke consists of an alternating motion of the arms with a flutter kick while on the back. On turns, swimmers may rotate to the stomach and perform a flip turn and some part of the swimmer must touch the wall. The swimmer must finish on the back.

•The breaststroke, which is the oldest stroke dating back hundreds of years, requires simultaneous movements of the arms on the same horizontal plane. The hands are pressed out from in front of the breast in a heart shaped pattern and recovered under or on the surface of the water. The kick is a simultaneous somewhat circular motion similar to the action of a frog. On turns and at the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands simultaneously at, above or below the water surface.

•Some consider the butterfly to be the most beautiful of the strokes. It features a simultaneousrecovery of the arms over the water combined with an undulating dolphin kick. In the kick, the swimmer must keep both legs together and may not flutter, scissors or use the breaststroke kick. Both hands must touch the wall simultaneously on the turns and the finish. (The butterfly is the newest stroke and was developed in the early 1950s as a variation of the breaststroke. It became an Olympic stroke in 1956 in Melbourne.)

•The individual medley, commonly referred to as the I.M., features all four strokes. In the IM, the swimmer begins with the butterfly, then changes after onefourth of the race to backstroke, then breaststroke and finally freestyle.

•In the medley relay, all four strokes are swum. The first swimmer swims backstroke, the second breaststroke, the third butterfly, and the final swimmer anchors the relay with freestyle.

•The freestyle relay events consist of four freestylers, each swimming one quarter of the total distance of the event.

•Starts: In the start, the swimmer is called to the starting position by the starter who visually checks that all swimmers are motionless. When all swimmers are set, the starting horn is sounded to start the race. If the starter feels that one of the swimmers has moved, left early or gotten an unfair advantage, the guilty swimmer may be disqualified after the race for a false start. Under USA Swimming rules, one false start disqualifies the swimmer.

•Rules

•The technical rules of swimming are designed to provide fair and equitable conditions of competition and to promote uniformity in the sport. Each swimming stroke has specific rules designed to ensure that no swimmer gets an unfair competitive advantage over another swimmer.

•The Course

•Competition pools may be short course (25 yards or 25 meters), or long course (50 meters). The international standard (as used in the Olympics) is 50 meters. World records are accomplished in 25 and 50 meter pools. USA Swimming maintains records for 25 yard, 25 meter and 50 meter pools.

•Teams

•USA Swimming is made up of approximately 2,800 teams from all over the country. Of these clubs, nearly half have 80 swimmers or less, and a handful of teams have over 500 swimmers. A team may be comprised of any number of swimmers, parents and coaches.

•Participants compete in different age groups and meets depending on their achievement level and how old they are on the first day of the meet. Traditionally recognized age groups are 10 and under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18. Many local meets feature 8 and under, single age groups, or senior events. Team practice groups are usually determined by age and/or ability.